


Fragments

by KipDigress



Category: Calamity Jane (1953)
Genre: Explanations, F/M, Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-28
Updated: 2017-01-28
Packaged: 2018-09-20 10:55:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9488057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KipDigress/pseuds/KipDigress
Summary: Snapshots of varying length of the married life of Calamity Jane and Bill Hickok.  (Except the first one which is before the end of the movie.)





	1. Explanations

**Author's Note:**

> These are mostly not very detailed, but do fall within a general scheme. Recognisable characters are from the 1953 movie 'Calamity Jane'.

'What about that lieutenant you were telling me about earlier?' Bill asked suspiciously, well knowing Calamity's ability to get fixed on an idea and slightly distrustful of her sudden change of attitude.

'Ain't never heard of him!' Calamity replied so merrily that there really was nothing for Bill to do but kiss her again.

When they broke the kiss, Bill held Calamity close. They were comfortable not saying anything for a while, but eventually Calamity sat up slightly to peer into Bill's face.

'Why did you kiss me?' she asked, 'you were talking about how beautiful Katie is and then you kissed me, why?'

'Now isn't that an unfair question?' Bill replied.

'You asked me about Danny,' Calamity stated, sitting up straighter, despite Bill's arm tightening around her.

'All right, Calam,' Bill sighed, 'I kissed you because I suddenly realised that Katie had been right; she wasn't the prettiest girl at the ball, you were.'

'Do you really mean that, Bill?' Calamity asked, frowning.

'As sure as I'm sitting here planning to marry you,' Bill replied straight-faced.

'Now I get it, you want every man in the territory to envy you for having a pretty wife,' Calamity snarled and broke away from Bill's restraining hold. 'Well, I won't do it. I'm not a lady as you well know, much as Katie's tried to improve me.'

Bill, infuriatingly, stayed sitting on the log, his face serious.

'Why don't you say something, you coyote?' Calamity challenged, annoyed by Bill's silence.

'Because you wouldn't believe me,' Bill answered sadly.

'Try me,' Calamity taunted.

Bill sighed before he started. 'I kissed you because I realised that you were the prettiest girl at the ball,' Calamity snorted and looked as if she was going to interrupt. Bill raised a hand, silently asking to be allowed to continue. 'But I kissed you in your normal gear, the deer skins I kept suggesting you swap for dresses. And you know what? I think they suit you as well as any dress ever could.'

'But it took you seeing me in a dress before you noticed that I am a woman?' Calamity asked.

'I think most of the boys have got so used to you being as good as any three of them that although they know you're female, they don't think anything of it.'

'And you were pretty much the same.'

'I was – am –' Bill corrected in reply to Calamity's raised eyebrow, 'your friend. Somehow I never quite forgot. But, yes, I didn't see that you are beautiful - you've become pretty good at hiding.'

'Hence you'd shoot the gun from my hand and suggest that I fix my hair in a single breath.' Calamity thought for a moment and started giggling.

'What?'

'That's what you did,' Calamity gasped, 'when I'd rescued Danny,' her giggles got in the way again. 'Never realised – just how funny – that was till – now,' she squeaked out the last word.

'Come here, Calam,' Bill said, refusing to move from the log. Still giggling, but more convinced of Bill's sincerity, Calamity sat down next to Bill. She hid her face against his shoulder, trying to stop the giggles and hide the accompanying tears; Bill wrapped an arm around her and held her close.

'I'm in love with you, Calam,' he murmured against her hair, when she finally stopped giggling.

Calamity sat up and raised her hands to frame Bill's face. 'And I'm in love with you too, Bill Hickok,' she whispered before leaning forwards to place a gentle kiss on his lips. 'But I think that Joe might be missing his buggy if we stay here much longer.'

'Always practical aren't you?'

'Not always, it's much easier to cross the crick in deer skins than in a dress.'

Bill snorted at the memory of the first time he'd seen Calamity in a dress, covered in mud after falling in the creek.

'Come on, we'd best get back.' He stood up and took Calamity's hand as they walked the few steps back to the buggy. The climbed in and Bill stole another quick kiss before they started back to town. After a few minutes, Calamity leant her head against Bill's shoulder, tired out by the evening's events. Bill said nothing, just turned his head to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. 'I can drive you back to your cabin if you want,' he offered.

'No, Bill, Joe will want his buggy and my horse is at the stables,' Calamity murmured tiredly.

'All right.'

Calamity sat up as they approached Deadwood. Bill had started to wonder whether she'd fallen asleep, she'd been so quiet. He drew the buggy to a halt outside the Golden Garter and hopped down. Calamity had jumped out before he could get to the other side to offer her his hand. He shrugged, it would just be the way of it he supposed. They crossed the road to the livery stables where Calamity paid the hostler and collected her horse. Bill's hand on her arm just as she was about to mount made her pause for a moment. He glanced around and Calamity found herself doing the same; satisfied that they were unobserved, Bill gave her a last kiss before she mounted.

'Good night, Calam,' he said tenderly.

'Night, Bill,' Calamity called back as she trotted out of town. When she glanced back just before turning the corner, she saw that Bill was still standing in front of the stables. 'Men,' she muttered with a smile and shook her head at their silliness. Unfortunately, Bill's silliness was rare and simply endearing.


	2. Waiting for the stage

A month or so after they were married, Calamity rode shotgun on the stagecoach as she had been used to. Francis rode out to their cabin a couple of days before she left to return her gun. Bill worried a bit, but knew that nothing he could say would persuade her to not take the stage out. It would also make her unhappy to feel herself tied to Deadwood without any chance to shoot at indians. On her return, Calamity introduced the stage passengers to Henry Miller, Joe and Bo as had been her wont. When she got to Bill, who had not been waiting to catch her as she jumped down from the stage coach, but instead had studiously stayed at the table with his back to the door playing patience, even though he wasn't really focussed on the game. She just gave her normal introduction, disrupting his game and mixing up the cards as she walked across his table.

'Here's the man the sheriff watches,  
On his gun there's more than twenty seven notches,  
On the draw there's no one faster,  
And you're flirting with disaster,  
When Bill Hickok's reputation you malign,'  
The old slap on the shoulder,  
'And I'm glad to say he's a very good friend of a friend of mine!'

'And your husband!' Bill said as he ignored Calamity's offered hand and swept her up in his arms for a kiss.

Calamity laughed as the others did: partly with joy at being home and partly because it was funny to see Bill taking any sort of notice of her introduction of him and interruption of his game of patience. When Bill set her back on her feet a moment later, she continued, gently pushing Bill out of the way and sitting on his chair.

'Oh my throat's as dry as a desert thistle in May...'  
Instead of dragging her away to the other table as he usually did, Bill picked Calamity up and sat down again with her on his lap:  
'In the Golden Garter, gonna wet my whistle today,  
Last to the bar's a three legged crow...'  
Clasping Bill's hand tightly in hers, she dragged him over to the bar before jumping on it. Bill rolled his eyes at the unladylike behaviour, but what could he expect? His wife could be beautiful if she wanted, but was still her old self.  
'Set 'em up Joe, set 'em up Joe, set 'em up Joe!' 

'Drinks are on the house,' Miller gave in to Calamity's pleading.

'Set 'em up Joe!' from halfway across the saloon.

Of course she had to threaten everyone with her gun in order to get to the bar, only to find that Bill had already ordered a sarsaparilla for her.

'Thanks,' she said, taking the sarsaparilla, 'thanks,' she said again when Bill's arm round her waist kept her upright as her foot missed the rail when she turned round.

'Any excitement this trip?' Buck asked as usual.

'Not so much, Buck,' Calamity replied seriously, deciding for once to down play her own heroics: she'd seen Bill's face when she'd first walked into the Golden Garter and would not soon forget the look of sheer relief that crossed it when he had seen that she was indeed back and well. 'Just a small party of indians about ten miles out. Enough arrows to make the back of the stage look like Katie's pincushion when she's halfway through hemming a dress, though they gave up quick enough.' She didn't mention exactly how close one of those arrows had come to ventilating her head; Bill would probably find out when he saw her hat, but for now he could remain blissfully ignorant.

Bill raised an eyebrow at this modest account which was probably as near to the truth as Calamity had ever given in reply to Buck's question.

Once news had been asked for and told and the new visitors welcomed and made comfortable by Miller, Bill and Calamity settled themselves in a corner of the Golden Garter for a quiet chat. They pulled their chairs close together and all that could be seen of them for a while were their two heads, blonde and brown, deep in conversation.

'Did you tell Buck the truth about your trip?' Bill asked.

'Why shouldn't I?'

Bill smiled. 'Calam, your stories are usually too tall to be wholly believed, but this one has me thinking that it might be just a little bit too short.'

'Were you worried about me, Bill?'

'Sick,' Bill admitted taking Calamity's free hand in his, 'I don't know what insanity made me agree to let you go.'

Calamity smiled slightly at Bill's avowal, then frowned. Was Bill going to ask her to stay home and miss out on all the excitement? 'You know we would probably have shot each other by now if you hadn't,' she said.

'True,' Bill said glumly, giving Calamity's hand a squeeze, 'and I know you've taken that stage through dozens of times, but that doesn't mean your luck will hold forever.' He took a sip of his drink and sighed when Calamity leant her head against his shoulder. 'I know I can't ask you to not take the stage through, it would kill you, but that doesn't mean that I don't wish I could,' he murmured and kissed her hair. They stayed in silence for a while and Bill almost wondered whether Calamity had fallen asleep she was so still and quiet.

'Bill,' Calamity said sleepily, 'where's Katie?'

'Up at the fort, I think.'

'Oh, I should go visit.'

'Perhaps tomorrow?' Bill suggested.

'Hmm,' Calamity agreed, 'what's Miller doing for entertainment tonight if Katie's not here?' she asked suddenly, sitting up and looking Bill in the face.

'Oh, that?' Bill drawled, 'Miller and Francis have come up with a plan. Most of the town's in on it. Doubly entertaining if you ask me. Francis may not make a particularly attractive woman, but it's funny to watch and he suggested it. We should also get a good laugh by seeing how some of the new boys react; especially since Bo and some of the others have said they'll play up to it. There are some new soldiers up at the fort; their officers are expected tonight too.'

Calamity was quiet for a moment considering what Bill had just said. When it registered, she laughed long and loud. 'Oh, this won't be as funny as you on Katie's first night, but I bet it'll be funny,' she squeezed out before laughter took her again.

'Calam, don't,' Bill growled.

'Don't what?' Calamity squawked.

'Don't make me give you another flying lesson.'

'Are you threatening me, squaw man?' Calamity managed through her giggles.

'If you put it like that, I am.' Instead of sobering Calamity as he'd hoped, she just laughed harder. 'Oh, I give up,' Bill said after another few minutes of Calamity laughing. Looking around he saw that most of the bar were looking at them. He remembered the day he and Colorado had met Calamity racing off to catch the stage and bring Katie back to Deadwood and the delight with which he'd agreed with Colorado that his marriage wouldn't be dull. He caught himself almost wishing it was. He got up and walked over to the bar, leaving Calamity to her giggles.

Francis had just dropped in and Bill leant against the bar next to him. 'Whisky please Joe,' he said.

'Steadying your nerves?' asked Francis.

'Something like that.'

'What's got into Calamity anyway?'

'Oh, just that your act tonight will be second to my Sioux squaw of Katie's first night. I threatened her with another flying lesson, but it just sent her off again.'

'Oh dear,' Francis murmured when comparative quiet had returned to the room, 'you're really in for it now, Bill.'

'Why?' Bill asked as he turned to face Calamity. Bang, crack. Bill looked to his right to see his Whisky pooling across the bar. He was surprised to see Francis still standing solidly on his left.

'Oh, I've learnt that Calamity's aim is nothing to worry about, and that she's nearly always shooting at you,' he said calmly in reply to Bill's questioning look.

Bill said nothing, instead he waited until Calamity had sat back down before he shot her glass to pieces too. By the time she looked up, his gun was back in its holster and his face wore an innocent expression. Calamity glared at him and started across the room, but Miller interposed before she reached Bill.

'Calamity, Bill, could you please not shoot up the bar every time you're here?'

'What?' Calamity demanded of Bill's raised eyebrow. 'I didn't start it.'

'This time,' interjected Bill.

'Go home, both of you, don't kill each other, but please, go home.' Miller took Calamity's elbow in one hand and Bill's in the other. With Francis on the other side of Bill, they were walked to where Bill had tied their horses. Faced with the inevitable, they both mounted.

'Thanks Miller,' said Bill, 'come on Calam, I'll race you home.'

'Francis?'

'Go!'

Miller and Francis watched as the two raced through town leaving a line of staring faces and the occasional open mouth in their wake.

'Phew,' said Miller as he and Francis turned back into the Golden Garter, 'I sure hope they don't kill each other.'

'They may be a contrary pair, but they're good friends to have,' Francis agreed.

'You can say that again. The number of times Calamity's saved the Golden Garter, she's earned all the free drinks I give on her behalf and then some.'

'Well, I'd better get ready for tonight - I need to talk to the band, try to persuade the trombonist to leave my wig alone until the last number.' Francis shook Miller's hand and went backstage. 

Bill and Calamity galloped through town, then cross country to what had been Calam and Katie's cabin, but was now theirs. Ignoring the track, they jumped streams and bushes, neither getting far ahead of the other for long. Eventually, descending the last slope to the cabin, Calamity did not slow soon enough and her horse ended up jumping over the rail before coming to a stop a few yards further on.

'I win,' Bill stated as he stood next to his tied up horse.

'This time,' panted Calamity as she dismounted.

'Are you going to walk them off and untack or am I?' asked Bill.

'Depends on what the alternative is,' replied Calamity.

'Chopping wood and filling up on water.'

'I think you can deal with the horses then.'

'All right,' Bill pulled Calamity to him and gave her a quick kiss before he took her horse from her.

A bit later, with the horses turned out to graze and the supplies of wood and water by the fire replenished, Bill and Calamity sat with the fire burning merrily between them. Calamity had just put the kettle on to boil water for tea.

'Do you know what's funny, Bill?' Calamity asked after a few minutes of quiet.

'I can't quite read your mind, Calam, so no, I don't.'

'When Katie first came here, before she even reached the door, she asked if I disliked you as much as I pretended.' Calamity smiled at the memory of her friend's perception.

'And what did you say, or am I not allowed to know?' Bill inquired.

'That you were just about the best friend I'd ever had,' Calamity got up to fetch cups and saucers down from the dresser to hide her embarrassment.

'But if we'd admitted as much and actually acted as if we liked each other, we'd have been the talk of the town,' finished Bill.

'Not that we're anything other than the talk of the town anyway,' Calamity said darkly as she picked up the now boiling kettle from the fire. 'Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok - how many bets are there on when and who kills the other?'

'About thirty, I think,' Bill drawled.

'Does that include yours?'

'Now wait a minute, Calam, why would I bet on an unpleasant end to my own marriage?'

'Because if there's a bet going, you're involved.' Calamity handed Bill a cup of coffee before she poured her own, 'Here's your coffee.'

Bill shrugged. 'You know me too well, Calam,' he sighed before taking a sip of tea. What he didn't tell her was that his bet was that they'd come close to killing each other on a fairly regular basis, but would not actually do so. Most of the others involved thought him rather optimistic although it was a pretty even split on who would kill whom. % The historic Wild Bill Hickock was murdered about 6 months after meeting a very disreputable Calamity Jane in 1876; I think I'll deviate from historical accuracy for at least a few years; if Bill has to die though, he will be shot in the back of the head while playing poker.

Once they'd finished their tea, Bill went to go outside, but stopped by the door with his hat halfway to his head. 'Calam, what's this?' he asked, holding her hat up, the pair of new arrow holes in the crown clearly visible.

'Nothing, Bill,' Calamity replied.

'I'll give you nothing,' he growled, 'you dang near got your head ventilated, didn't you?' Bill strode over to the table where Calamity was pretending to be busy clearing away the coffee things.

'Does it matter?' Calamity asked, her eyes on her hands, 'he's dead.'

'Yes, it matters,' Bill ranted, 'you nearly got yourself killed, and there wasn't anything I would have been able to do about it,' his voice cracked as he finished and he swallowed hard, trying to get the fear under control.

'That's nothing new,' Calamity pointed out quietly.

'Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but that's not the point.'

'Well, what is the point?' Calamity snapped.

'The point, Calamity,' Bill grabbed her shoulders hard, forcing her to pay attention to him, 'is that you're my wife. If I can't keep you safe, what sort of husband does that make me?'

'Calamity Jane's,' Calamity said softly, with a small, slightly sad, smile. 'You can't keep me safe because I won't be kept safe.'

'Oh, Calam,' Bill sighed and pulled her to him for a tight hug, hiding his face against her hair. 'How am I going to live?' he murmured. Calamity hugged her husband back as she considered their predicament again. She'd thought about it a lot while away and through the almost sleepless nights spent tossing and turning, missing Bill's wry smile and occasional protectiveness, but hadn't been able to come up with a solution.

After a few minutes, Bill's hold relaxed slightly, but he didn't let go. Calamity leant back to look up into Bill's eyes, and almost hated herself when she saw the hurt and worry that he usually hid so well. She raised a hand to caress his cheek, then dropped it to rest on his shoulder.

'I don't have to take the stage through every week; just now and again,' she said.

'I know, I know, but you nearly got killed this time.'

'You know it's not the first time I've nearly not come back.' Once she would have laughed and reminded him of the time the lead horse had been killed and then she'd got an arrow in the shoulder cutting it out. Rattlesnake had rescued her that time - the only time he'd had to - but even with a stump of indian arrow stuck in her shoulder she still came in sitting on the top of the stage.

'That just makes it worse.'

'Hmm,' Calamity laid her head against Bill's shoulder and thought for a bit, 'I'm not sure whether Rattlesnake would like it, but it might work...'

'What might?' Bill asked, looking down at Calamity.

'Well, you could drive the stage and I ride up shotgun,' Calamity said slowly. 'But not in a dress,' Calamity clarified hastily, 'once was enough.' Bill laughed, then looked thoughtful for a moment.

'It might work,' he said, 'we'd need to ask Rattlesnake and probably let the stage company know, but at least I'd know if something did happen to you.' He ran a hand through his hair, thinking through how it might work. 'Five guns between us should be enough.'

'Do you propose to handle six horses and shoot at the same time?' Calamity asked, slightly amused.

'No, just armed in case anyone decides you're too darn pretty to be riding on the outside of the stage,' Bill replied with a wry smile.

'Now you're proposing to be worse than me. I've only ever shot indians when taking the stage through, tempting though it has sometimes been to do otherwise.'

Bill laughed at Calamity's outraged expression. 'Come on,' he said, finally taking his arms from round her waist and picking up a tea cup, 'let's go and have a look at where we're going to build this new cabin you've been on about this last month or so.'

It didn't take them long to clear the tea things away; Bill had watched Calamity put them away often enough so knew where everything went although this was the first time he'd helped. A few minutes later they were wandering vaguely upstream, hats on heads and holding hands.

That evening they went to see Francis perform at the Golden Garter.

'Gentlemen and, Gentlemen,' Miller welcomed them, earning the normal laugh.

'He could at least say lady,' Bill murmured to Calamity. Which earned him a jab from Calamity's elbow in his ribs.

'Wow,' Calamity said to Bill at one point, 'Francis is really working hard.' He was swapping costumes, and indeed characters every few songs. The locals were having a good time, playing up to Francis's cross-dressing and keeping an eye on the new visitors to the Golden Garter who were fairly well convinced by Francis' act. Although initially Francis had been nervous, once he got started, his act went along without a hitch, but he did avoid hanging around near the band.

'I'm not certain how you manage it,' Bill replied, 'from what Francis was telling me while he was rehearsing, dresses are pretty hard work, and heels are even worse.'

'Now you know why I prefer my deerskins,' Calamity replied pointedly.

'That's a shame, you're so pretty when you doll up.'

'Yeah, and you have to fight every other buck in town for the chance to dance with me.'

'Perhaps it is just as well you do spend most of your time in deerskins,' Bill allowed. 'Come on Calam, let's go home.'


	3. Shooting practice

Bang, tinkle, bang, tinkle, Bill heard, in quick succession and getting louder as he neared the cabin; six, a short pause then another six. Oh, dear, he thought as he dismounted, Calam's bored and I'm in for it. He tied his horse up and cautiously made his way round the edge of the cabin. Calamity was where he'd expected, standing just outside the back door shooting a row of cans off the log that lay nearly fifty yards away.

'Calam?' he called out.

Calamity spun round, the gun still in her hand and Bill jumped back behind the corner of the wall.

'Calam?'

'Yes, you polecat, I'm not gonna shoot you,' Calamity replied, and Bill peered round to see that she had put the gun down on the bench by the door.

'Good,' he said, as he came forward to give his wife a kiss. 'How's the monster?'

'Kicking like a two year old mule that objects to the stable.'

'Any other complaints?'

'My back hurts, my feet hurt, sometimes I think that even my hands hurt,' Calamity said, trying to keep her voice steady, 'and I can't even hitch the horse to the buggy so going anywhere's impossible too. As for these wretched skirts...'

'You wanted young uns,' Bill pointed out as he gently rubbed Calamity's swollen belly, and dropped a kiss on her neck.

'Yeah, but I didn't know it would be like this.'

'Come and have some tea, you'll feel better once you've got your feet up.' Bill opened the door and lead Calamity inside. While the water was heating up, he went back outside to collect the gun and rummage in his saddle bags. He returned with a mysterious look on his face and one hand held suspiciously behind his back.

'Bill Hickok, what have you been up to?' Calamity asked after he'd put the gun back in the holster hanging on the wall.

'Calamity Jane, why were you using my gun?' he retorted, trying not to grin.

'Quicker to reload,' she said.

'Fair enough,' Bill said, and handed Calamity a bottle of sarsaparilla, a cake and a bunch of daisies and morning glories. 'From Miller and Katie,' he said.

Calamity snorted, 'I don't think either of them would send flowers,' she pointed out.

Bill said nothing, just handed Calamity a glass and a found two plates and a knife for the cake.

'What, you're doing everything for me, but I've got to deal with the flowers myself?' Calamity asked as she cut them each a generous slice of cake.

'Yep,' said Bill through a mouthful of cake.

'Five minutes ago you told me to get my feet up, now you're making me walk around again, it doesn't make sense.'

'Very little does around you.'

'One day, Bill, bringing flowers won't stop me from shooting you,' Calamity said as she thunked a vase down on the table before roughly setting the flowers in it.

'Here, Calam, don't break the stems,' Bill said gently, taking hold of her hands. He realised they were trembling slightly and raised a questioning eyebrow at his wife. 'Come here,' he said quietly, tugging on her hands. Calamity docilely came to lean against his shoulder. Bill wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap. 'What's the matter?' he asked.

'I'm scared Bill,' Calamity admitted, hiding her face against Bill's neck, 'I'm scared that you'll be away up at the claim, or playing poker in town, or something, and the baby will come and I'll be on my own with no one within earshot and no one to help.'

'Shh, shh, it will all be all right,' Bill crooned, gently caressing Calamity's back and all the time wondering how he could have been so blind as to not see that his wife was frightened. 'What do you want to do?' he asked, 'I'm sure Miller would be happy for you to stay at the Golden Garter for a few weeks if you'd rather be in town, or you can come out to the claim with me and Colorado, the track should be good enough for the buggy. It might even be possible for you to stay with Katie at the fort.'

'Now you've given me too many options to choose between,' Calamity replied with a feeble laugh. 'Thank you, Bill,' she said after another moment's quiet and kissed his cheek, 'I'm thinking a day at the fort with Katie will do very nicely for now.'

'That's tomorrow then,' said Bill, 'we'll drop in on Colorado on the way over.'

'You don't have to come,' Calamity pointed out. 'I'm not so helpless that I won't be able to drive the buggy.'

'Perhaps I want to drop in on Danny?'

'Perhaps I want to drive?'

'I never even hinted that I would be driving.'


	4. Going visiting

It was just over four weeks after Jack was born when Calamity heard of someone who needed help that she was able to give: Potter, a prospector who lived a few miles away, had fallen when his horse shied in town and had broken his arm; a week later he was back in his cabin with his arm in a sling. Although Calamity didn't think much of any man who could fall from his horse so easily, she knew that as one of his closest neighbours she was better placed to help than most others. She saddled her horse and stopped, suddenly realising that while she could leave the baby in the cabin while she chopped wood, fetched water or dealt with the horses, she couldn't very well leave it behind when she was a few miles off.

She thought for a minute, still determined to go and help Potter. He would probably need some cooking done and if he let her redress his arm, so much the better. After a minute's thought, she went back inside for her basket, Jack and a scarf. She hung the basket in its usual place on the pommel of the saddle before she held Jack against her chest and wrapped the scarf over him. Tying the ends together, she was satisfied that Jack wouldn't fall. When she reached for the saddle, she realised that getting on from the ground wasn't going to happen without squashing Jack. Looking around, she saw one of the tree stumps left from when they'd cleared the ground. 'That stump's going to have to stay,' she thought as she lead her horse over to it. She stepped up onto the stump and swung herself easily into the saddle. 'I only hope Potter has a similar step up, I'm not certain I trust him to not drop Jack.' She trotted off to see Potter.

A few hours after Calamity had left, Bill returned from the claim. It was early yet, but Colorado had business in town and Bill had readily agreed to a short day. He was slightly surprised to find the cabin in silence when he arrived. Jack was a fairly quiet baby, but Calamity often hummed or sang as she worked, so the cabin was rarely entirely silent. Bill tied up his horse, thinking that Calamity might be having a nap. If he was honest, he would say that she needed all the sleep she could get. Jack would wake up two or three times a night and while Bill could simply roll over and doze off again, Calamity had to get up and soothe Jack back to sleep. Sometimes it took a few minutes, but often it took longer and Bill was asleep before she returned to bed. Seeing Calamity manage the cabin, the baby, everything, only served to increase Bill's admiration of his wife. Sure, he tried to help when he could, but Calamity could be touchy when she felt that Bill was trying to make her life easier. She had never wanted, expected or asked for help before and wasn't going to start now.

When he opened the door to the cabin, he was surprised to find it empty with no sign of either Calamity or Jack. He rushed through the cabin and out to the creek at the back, knowing that she would sometimes sit down and listen to the water running over the stones, but she wasn't there either. Checking the wood store, he saw that everything was neatly put away in its proper place (Katie's influence). Looking for her horse, thinking that she may have decided to go into town even though she had said she didn't need anything, he saw that the buggy was in its place, but Calamity's horse was gone.

'She could still have gone into town,' Bill thought and went back to where his horse was tied at the rail out the front. Just as he had his foot in the stirrup to mount, he heard Calamity's voice drifting on the breeze as she sang a lullaby. Listening more closely, he could hear her horse's foot falls as it gently walked down the hill from the opposite direction to town.

'Calam!' he gasped and jumped into the saddle, setting off at a fast canter to meet his wife before she had got much further. She'd pulled her horse up when he'd first shouted and sent it back into walk when she realised who it was. Bill pulled his horse up next to Calamity's and said nothing as he walked alongside her; he noticed Jack nestled against Calamity's chest and the basket hanging from the pommel of her saddle.

'You went to see Potter?' he asked as they descended the last slope.

'I did.'

Bill said nothing. Just dismounted and walked round to help her down - help accepted for once - when they reached the cabin.

'Bill,' Calamity ventured once she had been set gently on her feet, 'why did you come racing at me when I got back?'

'Oh, no reason,' Bill replied, looking at his hands.

Calamity reached out and lifted Bill's chin slightly so he was forced to meet her eyes. 'Stop being so protective,' she ordered, 'If you hadn't come back early, you would never have known I was gone.'

'You know it's not all that unusual for me to come back early,' Bill pointed out reasonably.

'I know,' Calamity sighed, 'I was just couldn't stay here any longer.'

Bill paced across the room, trying to not overreact: Calamity's freedom was valuable to her; she knew what she was doing, as well as, if not better than, he did; yet knowing that hadn't done much to quench the panic he'd felt when he'd got home and had no idea where she'd gone.

'I feared you'd left me,' he admitted, not daring to look at his wife. 'Either that or you'd come to harm, I... I don't think I'd be able to survive that,' he said, his voice uneven.

Calamity settled Jack in his cradle, needing the distraction of doing something while she thought.

'It might work,' she murmured.

'What might?' Bill asked sharply.

'Trail marks,' Calamity replied simply.

'Yeah, but that would require you to dismount at every junction,' Bill said, 'your horse doesn't have special shoes.'

'Not if we used a different set of marks,' Calamity pointed out. 'Since the starting point will always be here - or this end of town - we can simply use one arrow (unless it's home from town) to indicate the initial direction,' she explained.

'That's fine, but what about junctions on the trail,' Bill interrupted when Calamity paused for breath.

'If you'd let me finish, you would have heard that too,' Calamity reprimanded.

'All right,' Bill said.

Calamity glanced at Jack - still asleep. 'Let me show you something,' she said, opening the door. Bill shrugged and followed her outside. She'd swung onto her horse and Bill followed on foot to where she'd trotted up to the track. She asked her horse to spin on its hindquarters, describing two full circles before she rode a short way up the track.

'Well?' She asked when she came back.

'Well what?' Bill shot back, confused.

'Do you think you'd be able to spot that on the trail?' Calamity asked.

Bill cocked his head to one side, looking alternately at the clear disturbance in the sand and Calamity sitting with one knee hooked over the saddle horn. After some consideration he nodded.

'Good, that's settled then,' Calamity said and trotted back down to the cabin.


	5. Considering the future

One day, Calamity was sitting high up in a tree when Bill got back from playing poker in town. Bill had learnt to not panic when Calamity didn't seem to be around, but the tree was still the third place he looked.

'Come on up,' Calamity called down, when Bill spied her.

'In these clothes?' he asked, pointing at his smart suit.

'I'm in a dress.'

Bill rolled his eyes and started climbing the tree.

'Why're you up here?' he asked when he reached Calamity and settled on the branch beside her.

'Just thinking.'

'About?'

'What will Katie do if Danny does succeed in getting himself killed one of these days?'

'Calam, that's morbid.'

'I'm serious Bill, she wouldn't be able to stay at the fort. I was thinking that she could have the old cabin, but she doesn't know how to handle a buggy.'

'She could learn.'

'I suppose. But she'd still be working at the Golden Garter; much as I like Henry and Ollie, I don't really fancy babysitting regularly.'

'So she'd be best in town, either at the Hotel or someplace nearby.'

Calamity nodded, glad that Bill hadn't found fault with her proposed avoiding of responsibility.

'Now,' Bill said after a short pause, 'you haven't told me what you really got me up this tree for.'

'How do you know?'

'Because I know you, Calam. You force me to climb up this tree when you want to not be interrupted when you give me news.'

'I'm pregnant, Bill,' Calamity stated simply.

'And you didn't tell me this before because...'

'You'd worry. I wasn't sure at first. I think I'm about two months along.'

Bill sat quietly for a moment, letting the news sink in. When it had, he smiled broadly and gathered Calamity close for a kiss. He smoothed a hand across her belly, immediately protective of his second child.


	6. Why argue?

'Mum,' asked Jack, 'why do you and Dad live together if you fight so much?'

'Because we love each other,' Calamity replied.

'But you don't fight with me and Susie, does that mean you don't love us?' he asked, pouting slightly.

'We both love you both very much,' Calamity said, and sighed, wondering how to explain her and Bill's relationship to her four year old son. 'Your father and I have always argued. We argued as friends for so many years before we knew we loved each other, that the arguing was second nature.'

'So you just carried on?'

'Yep, seems that way.'

Jack looked thoughtful, but seemed to accept what his mother had told him since he went out to look for fish in the creek after a minute or two.


	7. Accepting the inevitable

'I can't let you go,' Bill bellowed, grasping Calamity's arm tightly in his.

'What?' she replied, incredulous, 'In five years, you've only let me take the stage through a handful of times – when you could be bothered to ask to drive, otherwise, the most excitement I've allowed has been shooting tin cans at silly distances. I can probably out shoot you now, which is something I honestly never thought I would say.'

'What about your children?'

'What about them? Better for them to have a mother that's happy than one who's likely to pull a gun on anything she sees.'

'Better for them to have a mother that's alive,' Bill countered. 'Or even better one who knows how to behave like a lady.'

Calamity slapped Bill hard across the face with her free hand; her wedding ring leaving a satisfying mark on his cheek. 'You knew exactly who and what I was when you married me, you never ought to have kissed me if you didn't want that sort of wife,' she screamed.

'I ought to throw you in the creek for that,' Bill shouted back.

'Just you try, Bill Hickok,' Calamity replied, tugging her arm out of Bill's grasp and stalking off.

'Stop. Right. There,' Bill's voice was hard.

Calamity said nothing, just spun on her heel to face her husband, drawing her gun as he drew his.

'Mum, Dad, don't!' squealed Jack as he came round the corner of the cabin.

'Stay where you are, Jack,' Calamity said quietly, not taking her eyes off Bill.

No one moved.

'Are Mum and Dad going to shoot at each other?' three year old Susie asked Jack timidly as she joined her brother.

'Shh, Susie,' Jack whispered and took hold of his sister's hand.

Bill raised an eyebrow at Calamity, then sighed as they simultaneously returned their guns to their holsters as quickly as they'd drawn them. 'You win, Calam,' he said grudgingly.

'Do you really mean that?' Calamity asked with a frown.

'I'm dang sure I'm going to regret it, but yes, I do.'

'Are you now trusting me to come back in one piece?' Calamity was still incredulous.

'Seems that way,' Bill said with a shrug. Calamity ran over to her husband and jumped up to give him a hug. Bill grinned broadly, when he set Calamity back on her feet, he cupped her face gently in his hands. 'What ever am I doing?' he murmured before he kissed her. 'When's the stage going?' he enquired a moment later.

'Tuesday.'

'Day after tomorrow, I'll leave you to tell the children,' Bill said as he headed inside.

'They have names, or have you forgotten them?' Calamity shouted across the yard.

'No,' Bill laughed, 'I haven't.'

'Humph,' Calamity snorted, and turned to see Jack and Susie standing silent and wide eyed by the corner of the cabin.

'Mum,' said Jack, 'what's going on?'

Calamity crouched down and pulled her children close. 'Your dad and I were just agreeing on something.'

'By threatening to shoot each other?' asked Susie.

'That's pretty much how we've always come to agreements,' Calamity said somewhat grimly. 'I'm going to be away for a few days.'

'Can't we come to?' asked Susie.

'No, Susie, I'm going to take the stage through. I can't risk having indians shooting at you until you can shoot back at them as well as your father and I can.'

'Does this mean we're going to get to stay with Uncle Francis?' Jack asked brightly after he and Susie had regarded their mother seriously for a minute.

'Maybe, or maybe you'll stay with Katie and Danny and spend some time with Henry and Ollie.'

'I want to see auntie Katie,' said Susie.

'We've got to ask them first,' Calamity said with a laugh, amused by her daughter's definite answer, despite Jack's obvious disappointment that they wouldn't be staying in town with Francis. She was sure Susie enjoyed being made a fuss of by Katie and the soldiers, as much as Katie enjoyed making a fuss of Susie since she didn't have a daughter of her own.

Two days later, Calamity had left her children with Katie at Fort Scully and was in the Golden Garter having a last drink of sarsaparilla before she left. 'You ready, Calam?' Bill asked nonchalantly as he leant against the bar next to her.

'Course I am,' Calamity replied, 'my bag's been packed for years.'

'Take care, Calam,' Bill said quietly.

'I always do.' Calamity turned to Bill and took his hand in hers. 'I mean it, Bill, I'll do my best to come back alive.'

'Doesn't help much,' Bill said sadly.

'Bill, please, quit worrying and let me do my job.'

Bill said nothing, just pulled Calamity to him and hid his face against her shoulder for a few minutes before they walked out to where the stage was waiting to leave. Bill gave Calamity one last hug before helping her up onto the stage. Tempted though some might have been, no one laughed, knowing that the two best shots in Deadwood would draw on them if they did. 'Remember, Jack, Susie and I love you very much, so come back,' he whispered in her ear.

'I love you, Bill Hickok,' Calamity said quietly, then turned to jump up next to Rattlesnake.

'Take care,' Bill called out as Rattlesnake set the team into motion and the stage rattled off.

A week of pacing later, Francis and Miller were wondering whether to start worrying about Bill's state of mind. Colorado said that Bill was fine out at the claim, just worked rather more diligently than usual. In the evenings he had little to do other than hang around the Golden Garter and worry. Miller and Francis encouraged him to see Jack and Susie up at the fort; Bill went up twice and Katie brought them into town one evening when she wasn't working. If anything, seeing his children only made Bill fret more. 'They remind me too much of Calam,' he admitted to Francis one evening over whiskey, 'how would I be able to face them if she comes to harm?'

Bill got more restless the closer the stage's return got. The last morning even the easy-going Francis' patience was tested.

'If you're that worried,' he snapped after Bill had followed him around like a lost dog for about an hour, 'ride out and meet the stage.'

'If only I could,' Bill replied miserably, 'but Calam would kill me for being a sentimental, lovesick bull calf.'

'All right, cards are impossible; you can't focus, I'll put up with you for a bit longer.'

The stage came rattling into town about half an hour later, but didn't pull up at the Golden Garter, instead it carried on through the town. A minute or two later, word came that they'd gone to Doc Jone's, and that no one had seen Calamity.

'Calam,' Bill gasped when he heard the news and ran out the door, pushing people aside and overturning tables in his haste. Jumping on the nearest horse, he galloped through the town to the doctor's. Running through the door, he saw several people he didn't recognise, but not Calamity.

'Where's Calamity?' he asked frantically.

'Calamity?' a stranger asked.

'Rides shotgun.'

'Oh, the boy, he's in with the doctor,' answered another stranger.

Bill took a deep breath to steady his nerves before striding to the door he knew lead to the surgery room and letting himself in. Fully expecting to see Calamity lying on the table in the middle of the room when he looked up from closing the door, he slumped back against the closed door in relief when he realised that Calamity was helping Doc Jones and not actually injured.

'I thought you were hurt,' he stammered when Calamity noticed that he was there.

'I'm all right, Bill,' Calamity said quietly.

'What happened?' Bill asked after a minute.

'Ask Rattlesnake or the passengers, I need to help Doc,' Calamity had barely managed to glance at Bill, she was so focussed on helping.

Bill said nothing, just let himself out of the room, somewhat calmer than when he'd entered.

'What happened?' he asked before anyone could ask him how their fellow passenger was faring - to own the truth, he only knew that Calamity and Doc weren't dealing with a corpse.

The replies came all at once and loudly.

'There were indians...'

'Screaming like souls in torment...'

'About ten miles out...'

'I've never been so frightened in my life...'

Bill shook his head and went to find Rattlesnake who, if not very eloquent, was at least familiar enough with the dangers of the road to be able to give a reasonably succinct account. He found him behind the Golden Garter, tending to the stage horses. Bill helped Rattlesnake in silence for a few minutes before anything was said.

'You should be dang proud of your wife,' Rattlesnake said as he handed Bill the last harness, 'not even you could have brought that stage in \textit{and} kept the poor beggar Doc's tending alive.'

'What happened?' Bill asked, trying to sound disinterested, but failing miserably and sounding truly worried.

'About fifteen indians came charging down on us ten miles out. One of the passengers was either braver or stupider than most. Calam's sitting up with me, shooting mighty fast, and suddenly we hear this scream from inside,' Rattlesnake paused and wiped the sweat from his brow.

'What then?' Bill prompted when Rattlesnake didn't continue immediately.

'Drove as hard as I could, thought the coach would go over at one point. Took about three miles for them to give up. I don't know how exactly many Calam killed, probably eight or ten, you'll have to ask her. Anyway, soon as we was sure we'd left 'em behind, Calam ups and jumps in through the window to check on the passengers. This fool was hit; your wife had the presence of mind to try to the stop the bleeding and tell me to go straight to Doc's.'

'No wonder I couldn't get any sense from the other passengers,' Bill said sardonically.

'Yeah, given you're here, I'm guessing you've seen your wife.'

'Not properly, just enough to know she's not hurt.'

Rattlesnake grunted in reply and started brushing the horses off. Bill started from the opposite end of the line of stalls, needing the distraction of doing something. They didn't say anything more until they finished, then Bill offered to buy Rattlesnake a drink and they headed into the Golden Garter.

'Everything all right?' Francis asked Bill quietly once Rattlesnake was settled with his drink and Bill had taken his first sip of whiskey.

'Yeah, Calam's fine, was busy saving someone's life so wasn't up top when the stage reached town.'

'I told you she could look after herself, the stage too,' Miller said.

'Knowing she can, and knowing she'd safe are two rather different things,' Bill said darkly and took another sip of his drink. His nerves considerably calmer, he took his drink and sat at a table at the back of the Golden Garter, choosing a chair that faced the door. Taking a pack of cards from his pocket, he settled down to play solitaire.

Nearly two hours later, Calamity slipped into the Golden Garter by the stage entrance. Francis had popped down to Doc's and left a note to say that Bill would be there, so when she and Doc had finished, she'd jumped out of the window, avoiding all the questions and thanks, and run up to the Golden Garter.

Collecting her bag from the top of the stage, she changed into her spare clothes before heading into the bar to find her husband. She was pleased to find him so engrossed in his game of patience that he didn't look up until his drink wasn't there when he reached for it.

'Calam,' he got out before he reached over and pulled her tight against him. Calamity leant her head against her husband's shoulder for a minute before she looked up to give him a kiss.

'I told you I'd be fine,' she said. Bill just knocked her hat off and held her closer. %yes, slightly out of character with being openly affectionate - but not really given their farewells %

'Rattlesnake told me what happened,' Bill said after a moment, 'how many redskins did you end up killing?'

'Seven, I think,' Calamity sat up properly, examined the contents of Bill's glass and grimaced. 'Whisky,' she groaned, 'I was hoping you'd have a sarsaparilla waiting for me.'

Bill caught Joe's eye and tipped his head sideways at Calamity. Joe grinned, and held up a bottle of sarsaparilla. When Bill nodded back, he came over with the bottle and a glass.

'Good to see you back, Calam,' he said before he left.

'Thanks, Joe, it's good to be back,' she replied as Bill filled her glass.

'How did the passenger get injured?' Bill asked once Joe was back behind the bar. Calamity took a sip of sarsaparilla before she told Bill what she knew.

'The silly goose wanted to catch sight of a real live redskin so risked his neck leaning out of the window while injun arrows are flying every which way and I'm shooting just as fast as I know how. I ought to have wrung his neck before we started.'

'But you couldn't have known that he'd do something that stupid, surely?' ever the gentleman, Bill wasn't going to pass judgement hastily.

'All the time we were at the depot, he was going on and on about how interesting his trip from New York had been, how inspiring, how - oh, I don't know - I reckon he's some fancy newspaper man or summant. Anyways, he keeps rattling on about how the indians are misunderstood, and how their savage ways are as good as ours. One of the other passengers asked if he'd ever seen a red-skin, to which he admitted that he hadn't, but that it was one of the motivations of coming west.' Calamity sighed and took another sip of sarsaparilla.

'Funny reason for coming west,' Bill said thoughtfully after a moment.

'If you can call it a reason,' Calamity snorted.

'I think you may be right.' Bill took a sip of his whisky and wrapped his arm tightly around Calamity's shoulders. With a wistful look at her sarsaparilla, Calamity put her glass down and allowed Bill to pull her close again, she took one of his hands in hers and absently twined he fingers through his.

'How're Jack and Susie?' Calamity asked after a few minutes quiet.

'I think they may have forgotten that Katie and Danny aren't their parents,' Bill replied with a slight laugh.

'You've been avoiding them haven't you?' Calamity asked.

'Not exactly,' Bill objected, 'they just made me miss you more.' Calamity looked up and found that Bill refused to meet her gaze. 'What?'

'I know you too well,' she said, 'you couldn't face the possibility of having to explain what had happened if I didn't come back.'

'Yes,' Bill said miserably.

'Poor Bill Hickok,' Calamity said gently, and gave Bill a soft kiss. 'Anyway, enough chat, you've calmed down a bit, and I want to see my children.' Bill laughed and gathered up his cards. Calamity took a last drink of sarsaparilla and took his hand as they walked out of the Golden Garter. 'Horses?'

'Livery, yours too, I wasn't being that pessimistic.' Bill let Calamity lead him across to the livery stables and soon they were cantering out of town towards to fort. More sedately than their mad dash home five years before, they stuck to the road and took the opportunity to discuss the news of the past week. As they neared the fort, Calamity dared to ask the question she knew they'd been avoiding.

'So, do I get to go back on the stage any time soon?'

'I guess,' Bill said unhappily.

'Thank you, Bill,' Calamity said, and leant over to give Bill a kiss.

'The passengers all thought you were a boy...' he mused a moment later, the fact only just sinking in. Calamity burst out laughing and Bill joined in. They were still laughing when they reached the gates.

'Mum, Dad,' they heard almost as soon as they'd dismounted and shortly after were bombarded by Jack and Susie.

'Hello troubles,' said Bill, leaning over Calamity's shoulder and giving the two children in Calamity's arms a kiss.

'Uncle Bill, Auntie Calam,' there were the next two high pitched voices with accompanying pattering feet.

'Children, please,' Katie's voice floated across the yard, pleading ineffectively for some level of decorum. Calamity just sat down and laughed under her mobbing of children.

'Oh, Katie,' Calam sighed as she gave her friend a hug after regaining her feet, 'I am glad to be home.'

'But you'll be off again in a while, won't you?' Katie asked.

'Yep, can't keep me off the stage.'

'And I won't try to any longer,' Bill said sadly.

'Jack and Susie can stay here any time,' Katie offered.

'I think it's Uncle Francis's turn next time,' Calamity said with a laugh. 'Come on, time to head home. Who's riding with me?'

'I am,' said Jack.

'All right, Susie, you're with Dad.' Bill jumped up on his horse and reached for his daughter.

'Come on squirrel,' he said and settled her before him on the saddle. 'All comfortable?' Susie nodded.

'Up you go, Jack,' Calamity lifted her son on to her horse before swinging up behind.

'See you soon.'

'Good bye.'

'Best to Danny.'

'Bye.'

Calamity and Bill trotted gently out of the fort and headed home.

That evening, after putting the children to bed, Bill and Calamity sat quietly discussing the claim, their acquaintances, and the children, but not the stage.

'Why are you suddenly letting me take the stage through again?' Calamity asked after a short silence.

'If I'd any sense, I would risk death and forbid you, but Rattlesnake's right, you're the best person to take the stage through, so I have to take the risk. Without the stage, you're out of a job and I'm denying you the respect you deserve.'

'Thank you, Bill, you've no idea how much it means to me.'

'Oh, I think I've an idea,' Bill said merrily, 'which is partly why I'm letting you go. Just make sure you're back each year for the ball up at the fort.'

'Why?'

'Because I want to always dance with the prettiest girl there. Besides,' he continued after a pause, 'you might never wear a dress again if we didn't go.'

'What are your other reasons?' she asked.

'Where do I start, Calam?' He reached over to take her hand is his, and absently twisted her wedding ring around. 'Without knowing it, I fell in love with the girl who took the stage through. I'm still in love with her; when you've been tied to Deadwood for months on end, I start to miss that girl.'

'You're talking too much, Bill,' said Calamity with a yawn.

'Seems so. Anyway, it's late and I for one haven't had a decent night's sleep for a week.'

'Just let me put my clothes in to soak, that fellow bled something horrid.' Calamity gave Bill a kiss and headed back out to fetch her bag. She quickly sorted through her stuff before washing up and joining her husband in bed. 'I am glad to be home,' she murmured as she gave Bill one last kiss. He didn't reply, just snaked an arm round her waist.


	8. Still not a lady

As a treat, Bill and Calamity took their children to see Katie and Francis perform at the Golden Garter. Miller gave his usual 'Gentlemen and, gentlemen' welcome which made Jack turn to his mother and ask whether Miller had not seen her as it should at least be 'Gentlemen and lady.'

'Your mother doesn't count,' Bill told his son with a chuckle.


End file.
